ABSTRACT A field experiment was carried out at the Federal University of Technology Teaching and Research Farm, Owerri, to ascertain the responses of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) to poultry manure and NPK fertilizers during the 2013 cropping season. The experiment was laid out as a 3x3 factorial in Randomized Complete Block Design replicated three times. The treatments were: poultry manure rates of 0, 5 and 10 ton/ha while N.P.K. rates were 0,200 and 400 kg/ha. Data on various growth and y...
ABSTRACT The mapping of areas in Awka South L.G.A according to their susceptibility to gully erosion was carried out using GIS, with the aid of data derived from satellite imageries, Global Positioning System (GPS), Shutter Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM), as well as direct field work. The sites established were Amawbia, Umuawulu, Isiagu, Okpuno, Awka, Nibo, Ifite- Awka. The integration of Geographic Information System (GIS) with Global Position System (GPS), ArcGIS 10.2, Digital ...
Abstract The study was an evaluation of microfinance bank lending to agriculture in Imo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to (i) to analyse the institutional features of the microfinance banks in the study area (ii) analyses the socioeconomic characteristics of the loan beneficiaries, (iii) determine the amount of credit supplied by microfinance banks to farmers and their repayment performance, (iv) determine the factors influencing credit supply by microfinance banks...
The importance of wildlife, especially the vertebrates for game, tourism and medicinal use cannot be over emphasized. Nature reserves are also known to influence the ecosystem of its location. However, rapid increase in land use for agriculture and other physical developments are gradually reducing wildlife habitation including the Alabata area nature reserve of Abeokuta. Inventory of these resources in relation to their habitat parameters would inform their better management. Assessment...
Reproductive inefficiency is a major challenge in rabbit production. Leaf meals such as Moringa oleifera rich in phytochemicals have been used to enhance reproductive performance in cattle and catfish. Information on the use of Moringa oleifera Leaf Meal (MoLM) to enhance reproductive efficiency in rabbits and its effect on organs has not been adequately documented. Therefore, the reproductive response of rabbits to supplemental MoLM was assessed. In a 24-week trial, sixty rabbits were ...
Conventional feedstuffs have not met the increasing demand of livestock industry. Rice plant, a food-feed cereal, can provide grains for humans and fodder for livestock. The potential of Rice Straw (RS) as fodder for sheep in Nigeria has not been adequately documented. Therefore, the potential of RS as fodder for West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep was investigated in this study. Using Lattice design, 49 rice varieties of five cultivars: Interspecific Upland (IU), Interspecific Lowland (IL),...
Snake is an important agent in ecosystem balance but people’s fear makes it difficult to conserve. Thus, its diversity is declining rapidly due to anthropogenic factors. Information on snake species in Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP) is scarce despite their socio-economic value as source of antivenin, food, leather products and pets. Therefore, snake diversity and distribution in KLNP Nigeria were investigated. Ten transect strips of 2 km each were laid in five ranges (Oli, Ibbi, Kubl...
Successful land management for tree crop production requires good knowledge of the soil variation and suitability for specific tree crops. Most of the traditional rubber growing areas in Nigeria have not been evaluated for their suitability and production potential. Characterisation and evaluation of the land for rubber production was therefore conducted. Soils of two rubber producing areas: Iyanomo, Edo State and Akwete, Abia State were characterised and evaluated using local, United St...
ABSTRACT The study aimed at assessing the effects of Fadama II Development Project on Rural Communities in the three (3) agricultural zones of Imo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives include to: identify the socio-economic characteristics of the rural farmers that benefited from the Fadama II project across the three agricultural zones; determine the extent of farmers participation in planning, implementation and evaluation of Fadama II project across the three agricultural zones in the s...
Stem borers are among the major biotic stresses limiting the grain yield of maize, an important cereal crop in Africa. Breeding for multiple resistance to maize stem borers has been reported to be a promising method of control. Understanding the genetic variability of crop populations will help in improving them for pest resistance. Thus, genetic variability for dual resistance to two stem borer species were determined in a white (DMR ESR-W) and a yellow (DMR ESR-Y) maize populations to ...
Biodiversity enhances capacity of ecosystems to provide food resources and sequestration services of pollutants in soil and water. Bitumen seepage could impact negatively on soil and vegetation, thereby reducing their value. Information on the impact of bitumen seepage on the abundance of biodiversity in Nigeria is scanty. In this study, effects of bitumen seepage on biodiversity were therefore investigated. The study was conducted in bitumen belt of Ondo state for three years, with and�...
Diversification is a necessity in rural areas, where farming alone rarely provides sufficient means of survival. Conceptualisation of livelihood diversification as plurality of activities from past studies is too narrow. Rather, livelihood diversification should be conceived in terms of the interplay of ability, assets and activities. Therefore, livelihood diversification among rural households in southwestern Nigeria was investigated. Multistage random sampling technique was used to sel...
1 Ecotourism is a capital intensive industry that requires private sector participation to complement 2 government’s efforts in its development. Information on private investments contributions to Ogun state 3 ecotourism industries is scanty. This study was therefore carried out to appraise private sector 4 investments in ecotourism in Ogun state with the view to ascertaining economic viability of investing in 5 the industry. 7 The twenty-eight registered private ecotourism firms (botan...
ABSTRACT Experiments were conducted to evaluate the nutritional and anti-microbial effects of dietary Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) in broilers and laying hens. Proximate analysis of the leaf meal showed that it contained 23.25% CP, 13.19% CF, 6.93% EE, 6.4% Ash and 47.10% NFE on dry matter basis. In the chicken broiler experiment, five broiler starter (23% CP) and five finisher (19% CP) diets were formulated to contain Moringa oleifera leaf meal at dietary levels of 0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% ...
ABSTRACT It has been estimated that globally a lot of forest is lost in the tropics annually to agriculture. The removal of the forest cover has been cited as one of the main contributors of greenhouse gases. Tree plantations are advocated as carbon (C) sink, however, little is known about rates of C turnover and sequestration into soil organic matter under tropical tree plantations particularly oil palm. One of the commonest management practices adopted by farmers on oil palm plantations inv...